Trail Tip 20: A Quick Snow Shelter

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Ted Ehrlich details his favorite method for building a quick snow shelter in the backcountry, check it out at the links below:

Snow Shelters in Issue 20

Issue 20 Page 1

How to Make a Quick & Easy Backcountry Snow Shelter - Republished on the TrailGroove Blog

[Just Bill]

Hey there- still working my way through issue 20- but a quick "tip on a tip"

Awesome tip- just to add it- a little trench at the perimeter to drop the tarp edge into really snugs up this style of shelter nicely. Nothing against the improvised stakes though;)

You can also use your pack liner (trash compactor bag) to make a "plug" if you need/want a door.

[tmountainnut]

Hey there- still working my way through issue 20- but a quick "tip on a tip"

Awesome tip- just to add it- a little trench at the perimeter to drop the tarp edge into really snugs up this style of shelter nicely. Nothing against the improvised stakes though;)

You can also use your pack liner (trash compactor bag) to make a "plug" if you need/want a door.

I personally would just jam my pack in the opening as my door and use the pack liner (if i had one) for a ground sheet.

I like the trench idea to seal in the tarp. I was more aiming for showing how to do it quick and clean for an emergency shelter, vs how to make it more comfortable and semi-permanent. I mentioned using smaller twigs and branches along the perimeter of the tarp to essentially damn the snow , holding it so it'll stay on top of the slippery tarp material. That's how I've always done it in the past to seal the edges.